From SoHo Streets to Social Feeds: NYC’s Reminder of How to Build Cultural Relevance

I recently returned from a trip back home to New York, and every time I visit, I’m reminded of why the city is the global blueprint for culture.

The streets are loud, layered and visually chaotic in the best way. Every block, every corner, every storefront and every person is doing the absolute most to grab your attention.

But here’s the thing: in New York, it works.

It’s not a rare occurrence to see people looking up and around at all times. It’s a place that understands the power of aesthetics, not in a curated, matchy-matchy way, but in a disrupting way that makes you feel something.

A new mural, a hole-in-the-wall café with a perfect font choice going viral online, a pop-up that looks like it’s built for the feed, everything’s designed to make you stop, look and feel part of it.

It got me thinking a lot about how brands can build cultural relevance today, especially in an attention economy where every pixel, every moment is a fight.

Visual-First Storytelling Isn’t Optional

New York taught me this before I ever worked in the industry: if you want to be noticed, make it look good, or make it look jarring enough that people can’t ignore it. A prime example is Louis Vuitton’s new flagship store on Fifth Avenue built to look like a giant suitcase, who wouldn’t stop to look at that?

Every corner of the city tells a story visually. The graffiti has intention. The window displays have rhythm. Even the way someone dresses to go grab coffee is part of a narrative.

It’s a reminder that visuals are often the first handshake between you and your audience.

If your story doesn’t stop the scroll, it probably won’t start a conversation.

Every Space Is a Social Moment

In NYC, everywhere is a potential social moment.

People aren’t just buying products or experiences; they’re buying moments worth capturing.

For brands, that means designing spaces, both digital and physical, that invite participation and dialogue. Spaces are meant to connect people and create communities.

The most powerful cultural moments today aren’t broadcasted – they’re shared.

Champion Micro-Diverse Communities

What I love most about New York is that it celebrates the niche. You can walk five blocks and move through completely different worlds, subcultures, languages, aesthetics.

No one’s trying to fit in; they’re trying to stand out. That’s where cultural influence really lives now, in micro-communities that feel deeply seen and understood.

The most successful brands aren’t chasing the mainstream; they’re embedding themselves in smaller, more intentional corners of culture.

They’re not marketing to “everyone.” They’re building for someone very specific, sometimes even creating a character or world people want to be part of.

Mass appeal feels flat. Specificity feels alive.

Integration Is the New Influence

PR, social, influencer, creative, none of it can live in silos anymore.

True relevance comes from integration: when your brand narrative feels consistent whether it’s a media feature, a TikTok, or an IRL experience.

The stories that travel farthest are the ones that feel connected, not just clever.

Final Thoughts

Coming home to New York reminded me that cultural relevance isn’t about chasing trends, it’s about belonging to culture in a real way.

It’s about creating stories that look good, mean something, and speak to someone, not everyone.

Because in a world where everyone’s fighting for attention, the only way to stand out is to make something worth paying attention to and being involved in.